Hi all, this is my 1st post. Am a newbie with regard to having cichlids. I currently have a 10 gallon tank with a few baby cichlids. I currently have two 5-color peacock cichlids (1 inch), two red peacock cichlids 91 inch), three yellow labs (less than 1 inch) and a pleco. I want to add one parrot cichlid. Is this suitable for this tank? Am planning on getting a bigger tank soon. Any advice will be appreciated.
Cichlid Tankmates
- Thread starter VJ Sam
- Start date
Tifftastic
"With your powers combined . . ."
Hi VJ, welcome to AC!
Ok, so there are a few things I would like to address.
1) The current stock you have are not recommended to be kept together. Peacocks and mbuna (the yellow labs) are typically not a good match as a full grown peacock could swallow a mid size mbuna. Also, aggression levels will not match.
2) For the fish you have, size and quantity, you're going to want a 90 gallon tank. If this is not the size of tank you are planning to upgrade to, I would recommend returning the cichlids and going with smaller dwarf cichlids. Either the SA dwarf cichlids, Jewels, brichardi, or shell dwelling African cichlids. As well as a smaller species of pleco, like the bushy nose, clown, or rubber lip species. The pleco alone will need at least a 90 gallon if not bigger.
3) The parrot cichlid is south American and will not be compatible with African cichlids for many reasons. Such as ability to compete for food, aggression levels, and preferred water parameters. The African cichlids that you currently have like hard water with a pH of about 8.2 - 8.5, while the south American parrot is going to like soft water with a pH of about 6-6.5 or neutral of 7.
Ok, so there are a few things I would like to address.
1) The current stock you have are not recommended to be kept together. Peacocks and mbuna (the yellow labs) are typically not a good match as a full grown peacock could swallow a mid size mbuna. Also, aggression levels will not match.
2) For the fish you have, size and quantity, you're going to want a 90 gallon tank. If this is not the size of tank you are planning to upgrade to, I would recommend returning the cichlids and going with smaller dwarf cichlids. Either the SA dwarf cichlids, Jewels, brichardi, or shell dwelling African cichlids. As well as a smaller species of pleco, like the bushy nose, clown, or rubber lip species. The pleco alone will need at least a 90 gallon if not bigger.
3) The parrot cichlid is south American and will not be compatible with African cichlids for many reasons. Such as ability to compete for food, aggression levels, and preferred water parameters. The African cichlids that you currently have like hard water with a pH of about 8.2 - 8.5, while the south American parrot is going to like soft water with a pH of about 6-6.5 or neutral of 7.
Thanks so much for your reply and for the welcome. I just got a 35 gallon tank and have put the cichlids in there. They seem very happy with the extra space and rocks. Will surely upgrade the tank once they grow bigger. At present the tank contains peacocks and the yellow labs and ofcourse the pleco. Will speak to the fish store guy about returning the yellow labs, any other cichlids you'd recommend as tankmates for the peacocks? Dolphin cichlid or texas or acei maybe?
tanker
Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
Yes, to both questions, but you will really need a much bigger tank for both. A 55gal would be minimum.